Seizing a Match

In her previous life, Shen Luan rose to become an imperial noble consort, only to be killed with a bowl of poison soup by her dear friend Liu Yunluo. When she opens her eyes, she is seventeen again, before entering the palace.

She's learned her lesson. After entering the palace, she accepts everything Liu Yunluo gives her, then has her maid test it in secret. If it turns out to be poison, she says nothing and saves it. When Consort Shu picks a fight and berates her, Shen Luan throws out evidence that Consort Shu's father has been embezzling. Consort Shu immediately backs down and even helps her steal the account books. The Empress Dowager is unnerved by how much Shen Luan resembles her mother and urges the empress to act quickly. Shen Luan stays calm, investigating each matter and presenting the evidence one piece at a time.

The emperor asks what she wants. She replies, "To live, and for my whole family to live."